Butcher&#39;s vat.



' W. H. MILLER.

:BUTCHER'S VAT,

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1916.

lfim mfiw Patented Feb. 26,1918.

2 SHEETS SHEET- I.

WITNESSES: l/V I/ENTOR:

' ATTORNEY.

W. H. MILLER.

BUTCHERS VAT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, ma.

infimflfimfi. Patented. wemfi, 1918.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY.

nivrrn snares FdTllll t WILLIAM H. MILLER, F GBAWFOBDSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGN 01% T0 lVIILLER VEHICLE HEATER COMPANY, OF ORAWFORDS'VILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION" OF INDIANA.

enrol-inns var.

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' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM H. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crawfordsville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Butchers Vat, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon. i

This invention relates to a unitary structure thatis designed to be used for heating water or various substances, more especially in rural districts when hot water is required in which to scald slaughtered animals such as hogs, or When lard or tallow is to be rendered, whensoap is to be made or when various other boiling operations are required, the invention having reference more particularly to a structure of the above mentio-ned character that is designed to be constructed in a factory and shipped complete and which may be readily set up for use by the unskilled wherever required on a farm or elsewhere.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and useful article that shall be so constructed as to be convenient at all times to be used for various purposes incidental to the pursuits of agriculture, or in butchering operations, orwhen it is desired to heat any substance in considerable quantity. An other object is to provide an improved butchers vat that may be constructed inexpensively and have a heating furnace permanently connected thereto and which shall behighly efficient, durable and economical in use whether in-doors or in unprotected positions.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view the invention consists in a vessel and a fire-box of novel construction, and novel means for supporting slaughtered hogs conveniently to the vessel, the invention consisting further in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring tothe drawings,Figure 1 is a Specification of Letters Patent. patigm tedl PM), 2% wyg; Application filed November 8, 1916. Serial No. 1Sl'i,l'?3.

side elevation of a vat constructed substantially in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ,of the structure of which parts are in folded position. Fig. 3 is a top plan of Fig, 1. Fig. f is a fragmentary sectional elevation on the line lV- IV on Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V on Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section onthe line VIVI on Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the parts of the structure; and, Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section on the line V Ill VIII on Fig. .3.

Similar reference characters on the different figures of the drawings indicate like parts or features of the invention herein referred to in detail.

In practically carrying out the objects of the invention, a metallic fire-box structure is provided which preferably is composed of sheet metal and mainly comprises a front wall 1, a rear wall 2, each wall having a concave top, and side walls 3 and 4% connected to the front and rear walls, the sidewalls preferably being inclined so as to extend upwardly convergently in order that relatively broad fire grate surface may be conveniently provided. In order that the structure may be conveniently supported upon the surface of the ground which in some cases may not be solid, the front and rear walls preferably are provided respectively with outwardly extending base portions 5 and 6, the side walls being likewise provided with similar base portions 7 and 8 respectively. The inner side of the front wall is provided with a grate support 9, the rear wall being provided with a similar grate support 10, and a cross-bar 11 is secured to the side walls 7 and 8 for supporting the middle portions of grate bars 12 which rest upon the supports 9 and 10. The front wall 5 has a doorway 18 therein through which to insert fuel into the fire-box and is normally closed by a fire-door 14: mounted on the front wall. A draft-pipe is provided which comprises a horizontal section 15 which is connected to the rear Wall 2 and to which an elbow 16 is connected, a sectionor sections 17 being connected to the elbow in upright arrangement and provided onthe portion 19 and is sloping, the top thereof being curved. T he front end portion of the vessel projects forward beyond the front wall 1 of the fire-box structure. The vessel extends rearward beyond the rear wall 2 and has a vertical rear end 21 to which a brace 22 preferably is connected, the brace being connected to the upright portion of the draft-pipe. The metal at the top of the Wall portion of the vessel is turned over a wire 23 to form a head 24, portions of the wire being conveniently utilized as hinge rods whereby two tables 25 and 26 are connected to the opposite side portions of the 1 vessel, the table 25 having hinge devices 27 and 28 on it's'normal inner edge that are connected to the wire, the table 26 having similar hinge devices 29 and 30 that are 30 connected to other portions of the wire, the arrangement being such as to permit the tables to hang at the outside of the vessel orbe supported in 'a slightly inclined position so that liquid shall drain therefrom into the vessel, the hinged portions of the tables having watersheds 31 and 32 respectively that are adapted to extend over the adjacent top portions of the vessel to conduct the liquid from the tables to the interior of the vessel. The forward'ends of the tables have laterally projecting portions 33 and 34: respectively that extend partially over the curved top of the inclined front portion 20 ofthe vessel, space being left however between the tables topermit the passage of a carcass over the front end portion of the vessel.

The tables of the vat are provided with suitable props adapted to support the tables in proper position for use, and for this purpose one side wall of the fire-box structure is provided on its outside with sockets 35 and 36 adjacent to the base portion of the wall, the opposite side wall being provided with similar sockets 37. A suitable number of props 38, 39, 40, 41 are provided, being composed of metal, each prop having a foot portion 12 that is adapted to be inserted into any one of the sockets, and a head portion '43 that is adapted to be connected with a clasp 141 secured to the under side. of the table adjacent to the normal outer edge thereof, each table being provided with a suitable number ofclasps which are adapted the hot water it is drawn upward on the inclined front end portion 20 and rolled over onto either one of the tables, after which the bristles are scraped from the hide of the animal, and various other operations may be performed on the table, the work being carried out with a saving of time by working on both sides of the vessel. The vessel may be conveniently used at other times in lieu of a kettle in which to evaporate the natural liquids to produce maple syrup or cane syrup, the vessel being useful also for rendering lard and also for drying fruits or other substances.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a butchers vat, the combination of a front wall and a rear wall spaced apart, each wall having a concave top, a vessel hav ing a convex under portion seated upon and secured to the concave tops of said walls, two side walls standing at an inclination and extending upward convergently each to the other, said side walls extending to said convex portion of the vessel and secured thereto, said side walls being connected to said front wall and rear wall, a grate-support arranged at the lower inside portion of said front wall and secured thereto, a grate-support arranged at the lower inside portion of said rear wall and secured thereto, a crossbar secured to the lower inside portions of said side walls, and a fire-grate upon said grate-supports and said cross-bar.

2. In a butchers vat, the combination of a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls connected to the front wall and the rear wall, the lower outside portion of each side wall having a plurality of sockets thereon, a trough-like vessel secured to the top of each one of said walls and extending outward beyond the, front and rear walls, tables hinged to the top portions respectively of the vessel, clasps secured to the under side of the tables,each clasp being open at one side,

and a plurality of props having each a foot portion that is inserted rotatively in any one of said sockets, each prop having a head portion to be laterally swung into any one of the elasps through the open side thereof on rotation of the foot portion in the socket.

3. In a butchers vat, the combination of a fire-box structure, a fire-grate in the structure, an open-top water-holding vessel having concave bottom and side portions, the forward end portion of the bottom and sides being sloping to constitute a chute and having a curved top, the bottom portion of the vessel being secured upon the top of the fireloox structure, and two tables hinged at one In testimonywhereof, I affix my signature skie toithe sidefportion tops respectively, the in presence of two Witnesses.

ta les avin orward end portions extending laterally each toward the other and WILLIAM MILLER partially over the curved top of the sloping Witnesses:

end portion of the vessel, and props con-o JAMES A. PETERSON, nected to the tables respectively. J USTIN J. MALONY.

floptee of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the "Eommtsstoner 0t Hntentm.

Washington, D. G. 

